Online travel bookings have seen a huge upsurge with majority of the travellers planning their trips beforehand for summer travel. According to TransUnion, the percentage of suspected digital fraud attempts against the travel and leisure industry increased 68.4% around the globe. These frauds can happen in multiple forms where the customer is scammed in various ways. In India as well, same trends are being witnessed. 

Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet has said that SpiceJet will induct more Boeing 737 Max aircraft over the next few months and it hopes to start broadband internet service on its planes soon. The airline has a fleet of 91 aircraft, out of which 13 are Max planes and 46 are older versions of Boeing 737 aircraft. 

Deepak Rawat, Senior Vice President, MakeMyTrip, has said that India is going to be a market which will be the centre of outbound and will become the largest tourist market among the world in the next at least three years. He was speaking at ATM session titled ‘The Indian Traveller: Writing the global recovery sequel’. 

Colonel Ashvin Pundir, Additional CEO, Uttrakhand Tourism Development Board has said that adventure tourism is taking big leaps in Uttarakhand, the government is promoting offbeat locations to evenly distribute tourism benefits all around the state. New adventure locations like Tehri, Nayar Valley, and Marchula for the tourist who wants to explore the unexplored are being developed and publicized.  

To encourage consumers to #FlyConfidently with Malaysia Airlines and make the most of their long-haul flights, Malaysia Airlines has announced a campaign that no passenger can refuse! The airline has launched a Bonus Side Trip* campaign that allows travellers to add an extra leg to their journey from India to enjoy Malaysia’s cultural gems at a minimal cost. The offer is valid through December 31, 2022, for travel until March 31, 2023. Commenting on the campaign,  Amit Mehta, Country Manager- South Asia, Malaysia Airlines India, said, “For long-haul passengers, stopovers provide an opportunity to break up a potentially gruelling flight schedule and sample another destination along the way. From sandy beaches to highland rainforests – Malaysia offers it all. Our Bonus Side Trip campaign encourages passengers to stop over to experience Malaysia’s local culture, explore hidden gems, and Fly Malaysia to one of the seven destinations on offer: at almost no extra cost. We are confident that our impeccable hospitality, coupled with the breathtaking sites in Malaysia, will make this short stopover a memorable experience.”  To be entitled for the Bonus Side Trip, passengers must book a long-haul flight with Malaysia Airlines departing from India to one of the following destinations: Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Bangkok, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and the United Kingdom. Passengers will get a chance to explore one of the seven domestic getaway destinations in Malaysia as part of the Bonus Side Trip programme: Penang: Known as Malaysia’s food capital, Penang is famous for its mouth-watering dishes including Char Koay Teow and Laksa. Any trip to Penang should incorporate a visit to one of the bustling hawker street …

Discovery Circle Tours, a full-service DMC based in Jordan, has appointed TRN Marketing, a division of Indian Travel Promotion to act as a representative and consultancy agency to support and advise it in gaining direct business from Indian-based tour operators. Discovery Circle Tours specialises in high-end luxury tours themed by cultural,  historical, religious, and specialist activities and provides its tour operator partners with exemplary service and attention to detail. Discovery Circle Tours also manages the dedicated adventure travel division Discovery Terhaal, that specialises in walking, trekking, and cycling tours across Jordan. TRN Marketing was chosen for its experience in promoting high-end luxury tours and for its unrivalled contacts within the Indian tour operator market. Jack Farraj, Owner of Discovery Circle Tours says “We were specifically looking for an agency who understands our unique view on Jordan and how we interact with our tour operator partners. We needed a partner in India that understands the luxury market and can help us develop our position in India. We felt that Sidhartha Roy and his team at TRN is not only aligned with our aims and long-term goals but also has a fantastic reputation in India”. Discovery Circle Tours aims to create lasting partnerships with Indian-based tour operators by offering them a unique perspective on Jordan, unparalleled levels of service whilst providing their clients with the very best Jordan experience possible. “We believe TRN will be able to help us achieve this quickly and efficiently,” says Jack Farraj. Speaking recently following the signing of contracts with Discovery Circle Tours, Sidhartha Roy, Senior Vice President, TRN Marketing, India said “We believe we can complement the business philosophy of the company in the Indian outbound …

In a major development Central Asian nation Kyrgyzstan, officially known as Kyrgyz Republic, has appointed Salvia Visa Facilitation Services (Salvia VFS) as the India partner to process Visa applications of Indian travellers to the country. The new Visa Processing Centre was inaugurated by Kyrgyzstan’s ambassador to India, Asein Isaev along with the announcement of the appointment of Salvia VFS as the Indian office to process Kyrgyz Visa applications of Indian travellers seeking to visit Kyrgyzstan. Salvia will initially roll out the Visa facilitation services in Delhi. Commenting on the latest development, H.E. Isaev said, “Kyrgyzstan and India have shared history and culture spanning over a thousand years. The appointment of Salvia as a Visa facilitation centre is not only aimed at bringing greater ease and convenience to Indian travellers to apply for Kyrgyz Visa, but also improving services and facilities for the people seeking to visit our beautiful country and further strengthen our people-to-people relations that is centuries old.” Speaking on the occasion, Prashant Chaudhary, Managing Director, Salvia VFS said, “It is our proud privilege to extend Visa facilitation services on behalf of Kyrgyz Embassy in India. Salvia, as a brand, has been a trusted travel partner of Kyrgyzstan in India for decades, facilitating travel of Indian visitors to the beautiful country for a long time. As Kyrgyzstan’s Visa Facilitation Centre in India, our responsibility will be to efficiently, and in minimal time, process Visa application requests, while the issuance of Visa will be the sole discretion of the Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in India.”

MOT participates in the Arabian Travel Market, Dubai 2022. During the Mart, India Pavilion showcased the country as a 365-day destination with multi-faceted appeal, including culture, adventure, cruise, MICE, luxury, wildlife, wellness, and medical tourism. India Reopening as a theme has been amplified during the mart with the ‘Namaste Campaign’ to welcome international travellers.

Prashant Ranjan, Director, MOT, has revealed that the National Digital Tourism Mission is on the anvil, for which guidelines will be released soon. “Under the mission, a digital platform will be there where tourism stakeholders can check the availability of the latest policies by state governments, central ministries, the initiatives that the line ministries like Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Road Transport, Ministry of Railways, AYUSH and after COVID even the Ministry of Health is taking. This would reveal how the government is trying to assist the tour operator to have confidence and how India is ready to welcome the tourist,” he revealed.

Satpal Maharaj, Minister Tourism and Culture. Uttarakhand said, “A panel under the direction of the district magistrate is searching for land to build the airport. The proposal has been approved by the Centre, and once the airport is constructed, we would like to start offering meditation flights, yoga flights, Char Dam flights, and so on to facilitate better connectivity for visitors traveling to India.